Addllional Nolcs. 41 9 



worth of his character, render it proper that some account .should 

 be given of him in this place. 



Antony Laurenee Lavoisier was born al Paris, in the vcar 

 1743. He early discovered a taste for the study of the physical 

 sciences, and, for a considerable time, directed his attention to 

 most of them in succession, without discovering a preponderating 

 inclination for anyone in particular. This continued to be tiie 

 case till about tJie year 1770» when the important discoveries in 

 chemistry, by Black, Priestley, Scheele, and Cavendish, tired 

 his ambition, and directed his attention more particularly to < he- 

 mical philosophy, to which he almost exclusively attached him- 

 self during the remainder of his life. 



It IS generally known that his experiments and discoveries 

 were among tlie principal means of establishing tliat revolution 

 in the theory and nomenclature of chemical science, \Nhich has 

 been, \\'ith great propriety, denominated tlie Lavoisieriun theory. 

 After numerous publications on different departments of che- 

 mistry, in the Memoirs of the Academy of Scieucc.t, and other 

 sclentilic journals, in which he successi^•ely treated of combus- 

 tion, the analysis of atmospheric air, the formation and fixation 

 of elastic fluids, the properties of heat, the composition of 

 acids, the decomposition and recomposition of uatcr, the dis- 

 .solution of metals, vegetation, &c., he at length combined his 

 philosophical views into a consistent body, which he publMied 

 in 1789, under the title of Elements of Chemistry ; a work u hich 

 has been pronounced one of the most elegant models of philoso- 

 phical arrangement, and of clear logical composition, that was 

 ever presented to the world. 



He continued after this to pursue his favourite study with un- 

 abated diligence : his wealth enabled him to make experiments 

 on a great scale j his ardour, acuteness, and extended views, 

 enabled him to avail himself of every advantage ; and he conti- 

 nued to instruct his countrymen and the world, by tlic develope- 

 ment of new truths, or the recommendation of useful econo- 

 mical improvements, until the month of IMay l/p-i, when he 

 became an object of the malignant phrensy of Robespierre, 

 and suffered under the guillotine, in tlie fifty-first year <.f Ips 

 age. 



Note (V)y p. 122.— Modern philosophers have discovered that 

 the influence of light on growing vegetablts is great and impor- 

 2 E 2 



